Automatic electric-circuit breaker



H. E. WADSWORTH AND W. B. ENSIGN.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BREAKER. 7

APPLICATION FILED IAILZ, I920.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

3 mmro 13S JZMMWA' "(40649019774 MLL/Am 19. 55/6 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

HARRY E. WADSWORTH, OF NEW YORK, AND WILLIAM B. ENSIGN, OF WHITE PLAINS,

NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC-CIRCUIT BREAKER.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, HARRY E. VVAns- WORTH, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough and countyof Bronx, city and State of New York, and lViLLIAM B. ENSIGN, a citizenof the Unlted States, and a resident of White Plains, county of\Vestchester, and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Automatic Electric- Circuit Breakers, of whichthe following is a specification.

()ur improvements relate to means for antomatically breaking or openingan electric circuit when a predetermined excess of current occurs,substantially as set forth in our concurrent application Serial No.314,552, filed July 31, 1919, the object, as in that case, beingprimarily to dispense with cutout fuses by providing an equivalenttherefor to be positioned in like manner between the usual spring clipterminals; to eifectually protect the operative parts and preventtampering therewith, etc.,our invention in the present case consistingin the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereindescribed and claimed specifically, whereby these desired results areattained; and a distinctive feature being the substitution of a contactrock lever in lieu of the cut-out slide shown and described in ouraforesaid concurrent application No. 314,552.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1, is a front elevation of our improved circuit breaker;

Fig. 2, is an end elevation thereof;

Fig. 3, is a central longitudinal sectional elevation, taken upon planeof line wa Fig. 1, and showing the operative parts set to close acircuit;

Fig. 4, is a like view showing the contact rock lever tripped and thecircuit broken;

Fig. 5, is a like view illustrating the resetting operation;

Fig. 6, is a section taken upon plane of line 66, Fig. 3; V

Fig. 7, is a section taken upon plane of line 7-7, Fig. 5;

Fig. 8, is an enlarged sectional detail of the trip mechanism, etc.

The casing of insulating material is made in two parts C, C, eachforming one half of the basic structure, and each being sub-Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1920.

stantially a reversed duplication of the other. The extremities of eachhalf are semi-circular, so that when the halves are fitted togethercylindrical ends are formed over which the cylindrical metallic ferrulecaps F, F, fit, binding the two said nonconductive parts C, C, of thehousing together. These parts C, C, are further secured together by therigidly mounted cross bar 13, and further, if desired, by screws orbolts for which holes a, 0, may be provided as indicated in Figs. 3, 4and 5.

One of the ferrule caps, F, is a fixture upon its end of the casing C,C, being rigidly attached thereto by any suitable mechanicalexpedient,-while the other ferrule cap F, is movable within certainprescribed limits on its end of the casing for the purpose of re-settingthe operative parts, as hereinafter set forth, after a break in theelectric circuit.

The medial portions of the halves C, C, are formed with coincidentallateral extensions, and are recessed to afford operative space for thecontact rock lever R, the hub 1', of which is fulcrumed on a cross barB,- said hub 9", being formed with the contact arms 1", 7' and with thetrip arm W A spring 8, rigidly afiixed at one end to the cross bar B,and having its free end resting against one of the contact arms, tendsconstantly to rock the lever R, into the position shown in Fig. 4, withits contact arms r,

r out of en a ement with the terminals 0 0 said arms being metallicconductors which thus bridge over the space between and connectelectrically said terminals 0, 0

The terminal 0 is in electrical connection (as by wire 0 with one end'ofthe coil 0 the other end of which is electrically connected with thefixed ferrule F. The other terminal 0, extends to or is otherwiseelectrically connected with the annular contact plate 0 formed with theelastic resilient tongues 0 which insure electrical contact with theslidable ferrule F.

Rigidly affixed to the slidable ferrule F, is a reset slide f,positioned in a longitudinal recess 0", formed for it in and between thehalves (J, C, of the non-conductive housing. The inner end of thisre-set slide 7, is formed with a shoulder f, which normally extendsbeyond the end of the trip arm 9, of the contact rock lever R, when thelatter is in normal position, as in Figs. 3, 5, 6 and 8.

When however the slidable ferrule F, is drawn outward as in Fig. 5, theshoulder f, is drawn into the central position shown therein. Thus, whenthe contact rock lever has been tripped and rocked by the spring 8, intothe position shown in Fig. &, the drawing outward of the slidableferrule F, causes the shoulder f", of the reset slide 7, to return saidcontact rock lever to its normal position, as in Fig. 5, resetting thecontacts between the arms r,.1" and the terminals 0, 0

The contact rock lever B, under ordinary or normal conditions ofelectrical current is locked in its contactual position, as in Figs. 3,5, 6 and 8, by a latch lever Z, fulcrumed on a fixed rod or shaft cl,supported upon and between the halves C, C, of the housing, as shownmore particularly in Fig. 6,said latch lever Z, being articularly connected with the trip arm P of the contact rock lever B, by means of alink Z, pivoted to one arm of said latch lever Z, so that when the otheror latch end of the said lever Z, is released by the solenoid plungerbolt 0, as in Fig. 4-, the contact rock lever B, is-free to respond tothe pressure exerted by the spring 8, and to assume the position shownin said Fig. 4, with the end of its trip arm resting against theshoulder f, of the re-set slide 7, provided of course that the latter isin retracted position, 6., provided the slidable ferrule F, is in normalclosed position as in Figs. 3, 4-, 5 and 8.

The bolt 6, consists of the protuberant extremity of the solenoidplunger E, which is backed by a spring 6, which tends constantly tothrust said plunger outward, as will be understood by reference moreparticularly to Fig. 8,said spring, 6, being of sufiicient strength toresist a prescribed strength of current passing through the coil 0.Whenever, however, this prescribed limit of strength of current isexceeded the coil 0 retracts the plunger E, causing the bolt 6, torelease the latch lever Z, and allow.

the spring 8, to rock the lever R, as hereinbefore set forth.

When the movable ferrule F, is drawn outward to re-set the rock lever R,the shoulder f, of the re-set slide f, in returning the saidlever tonormal position causes the link Z, to rock the latch lever Z, back intoengagement with the bolt e,the spring 6,

allowing the said bolt 6, (again protuberant if the current in the coil0 is normal) to,

yield to the chamfered free end of said latch lever Z, and then snappingit back into looking engagement therewith as in Figs. 3, 5 and 8.

As in the case of our cut-out slide circuit breaker described in saidconcurrent application Serial No. 814,552, it will be seen that in ourpresent device the switch latch may be reset, when the device is removedfrom between the terminal clips, without opening the casing, and by thesimple expedient of reciprocating a portion thereof.

Furthermore all the operative parts of the circuit breaker are inclosed,isolated and protected from contact with extraneous objects, and theycannot be tampered with or improperly manipulated while the encasementis intact. The deviceis an effectual substitute for the blow-out fuse,

with the great advantage that it can be reset and used indefinitely; andthe act of resetting simply involves its removal from between thecircuit terminal clips and the manipulation of the ferrule cap F afterwhich it is ready for replacement in operative position.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis,

An automatic electric circuit breaker of the character designated,comprising a casing of insulating material, metallic ferrule caps formedexternally for contactual engagement with electric terminal springclips, fixed electric contacts connected with each of said ferrule caps,a contact rock lever normally engaging with said fixed electricalcontacts, means which tend constantly to rock said contact lever out ofengagement with saidfixed electric contacts, switch latch mechanismconnected with said contact rock lever, a solenoid interposed in theelectric current, a solenoid plunger controlled thereby and formed witha bolt portion adapted to engage with the aforesaid switch lockmechanism, and ferrule-cap-connected means for re-setting the partsafter a break.

HARRY l]. WADSWORTH. WILLIAM B. ENSIGN.

